The phrase “influence without authority” is an interesting one. There are books, courses, and articles about why influence is an important skill and how to cultivate it. When you have influence, you’d be surprised at the effort people will put in to help you succeed. Authority, on the other hand, is often overrated in a corporate setting. Even when power is bestowed on you by your position or title, you still need to build relationships and earn trust. Authority provides certain advantages, but influence works wonders.
Authority does not equal leadership, here’s why.
Formal authority includes reporting relationships, hierarchy (where you sit on the org chart), and title/position power. But influence comes from skills, relationships, and sometimes lateral power or proximity. For instance:
- A young engineer isn’t the most senior person in the room but when she talks, everyone listens. She has good instincts and is known for bringing creative solutions to hard problems.
- A manager who mentors junior team members gains respect and recognition, making it easy for him to hire internally.
- The CEO’s assistant is powerful because he has access to the head of the company.
Who would you do a favor for in a pinch? Probably someone who you like and admire, who may or may not be your boss. The best definition of a leader is “someone who people will follow” regardless of their authority. You’re willing to work hard for them not because they determine your performance rating or pay increase, but because you genuinely want to help them out. We put in the most effort for people who treat us well, regardless of whether they have power over us.
Do you still need influence if you’re a manager?
People know the stakes are high if they don’t meet their manager’s expectations. But even a manager with influence has an edge over one who relies solely on their authority. Let’s compare two managers I worked for. In both cases, they needed me to do time-sensitive work over the weekend. The impact their requests had and the impression they made were radically different based on how they went about it.
Manager 1:
My first manager did not warn or even ask me if I could handle the extra assignment. I found out only when he announced to the leadership team on Thursday that I would have a critical project update ready for them on Tuesday (I was cc’d). I wound up working long hours both Saturday and Sunday. I did the best I could, but I felt frustrated. I was distracted because I kept thinking about how to prevent this from happening again. The way he treated me hurt our relationship and ate away at my trust in him.
Manager 2:
Compare that with the approach of one of my all-time favorite managers in a similar situation. He had just led his team through a two-day team offsite that ended on a Friday and there were lots of ideas we needed to capture and roll into our strategic plan. My boss turned to me and asked if I could have the results ready to share the following Monday. I wholeheartedly agreed, and even went out of my way to make sure he had a draft to review Sunday night.
What made the difference? He made a request and acknowledged that it was inconvenient. He didn’t try to cover it up or take me by surprise. I was grateful for his choice not to wield formal authority over me. Our relationship quickly grew to one of mutual trust, respect, and loyalty. That is exactly the type of leader people want to follow.
Building Influence
So what are some key ways you can build relationships and increase your influence?
- Show respect to others, no matter their position or role
- Be fair to those around you
- Consider the needs of others even and especially in urgent situations
- Invest in relationships where you expect nothing in return
- Demonstrate honesty and self-awareness
Overall, you want to use your influence for good. You can even use it to advocate for others when they need it. It’s true that at times authority matters and whoever is highest up on the ladder will prevail. In those situations, you simply need to accept what you can not change. The rest of the time though, I guarantee influence is worth learning to cultivate. After all, who would not want to earn the trust and confidence of those around them?
Want to learn more about influencing with the help of a leadership coach? We’d love to start that conversation: Reach out here.
